Hasp and staple fastener



March 1942- R. R. HOFFMAN HASP AND STAPLE FASTENER Filed Sept. 25, 19392 Sheet's-Sheet l QrwoMo b (Rio wag Pal oh ,Q. Hoffman 10, 194 2. R F N2,275,769 I HASP AND STAPLE FASTENER Filed Sept. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES TET OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hasp and staplefasteners.

As is well known, the usual hasp and staple fastener is employed forlatching or securing doors, or the like, in a closed position andincludes a staple which is adapted to be projected through a slot in afiat leaf or strap, generally referred to as a hasp. The haspis mountedon the door while the staple is secured to the door frame or jamb, or inthe case of double doors, is secured to the second door. The hasp andstaple are ordinarily screwed, or otherwise fastened, in position andwhen so fastened are alined with each other,- whereby the slot in thehasp is arranged to engage over the staple.

It has been found that after a time, the door,

or doors as the case may be, sag, swell, warp, or for other reasons,move out of proper or original position, with the result that the stapleand hasp become misalined. When this occurs, it is difilcult to engagethe parts because the staple, being 1 pensating for misalinement of thestaple and hasp of said fastener due to sagging or warping of the door,whereby the parts may be maintained in proper position for latchingunder all conditions.

An important object of the invention i to provide an improved hasp andstaple fastener for doors and the like, wherein either the staple orhasp, or both, are mounted to undergo vertical adjustment relative toeach other, whereby these parts may be alined with each other withoutre- -moving the same from the door, or other memher, on which they aremounted.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fastener, ofthe character described,

having one of its elements adjustably mounted 534 with relation to theother, with improved means for fastening or locking the adjustableelement in its various adjusted position. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved doorfastener element having a vertical slot therein, whereby a fasteningbolt may be passed therethrough to mount the element on the door so thatsaid element may slide on said bolt; said bolt also being arranged tofrictionally clamp or look the element in various vertical positions onthe door.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stapleelement for fasteners of the character described, including, abase'arranged to be screwed, or otherwise permanently secured to thedoor and a fastening member slidably mounted on said base and adjustablethereon, the fastening member being constructed so as to cover thescrews, or other securing means, whereby said means is inaccessible tounauthorized persons to prevent removal of said base.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings,in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a hasp and staple fastener, constructedin accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation-of the staple element illustrating thesame moved downwardly toward a lower position,

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken on the line 44 ofFigure 2,

Figure 5 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the fastening bolt,

Figure '7 is a front elevation of a modified form of a staple element,

Figures 8 and 9 are similar views with the element moved to variousadjustedpositions,

Figure 10 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken on the linel0-|0 of Figure 7,

Figure 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken on the line ll-llof Figure 9,

Figure 12 is a front elevation of still another form of a stapleelement,

Figure 13 is an isometric view of the same,

Figure 14 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 15 is a horizontal cross- -sectiona1 view, taken on the line l5|5of Figure 12, and

Figure 16 is a front elevation of the hasp element mounted to undergovertical adjustment.

In the drawings, the numerals Ill and H designate a pair of swingingdoors, such as are usually employed for closing garages or otherenclosures. 'Ifhe usual leaf or hasp element l2 of a hasp and staplefastener is permanently affixed to the door l by suitable screws IS. Theleaf or strap of the element I2 is hinged inthe usual manner to the basemember lZa of said element, and the leaf is provided with an elongateslot M at its outer end. The hasp element is, of course, secured nearthe edge portion of the door I0, and the leaf or strap is adapted to beswung so as to overlap or overlie the adjacent door II in the usualmanner.

In carrying out the invention a staple element I5 is secured to the doorII and includes a base plate It which is substantially rectangular inshape. A U-shaped staple or loop I! is suitably mounted within the baseplate at substantially mid-height thereof and this staple is adapted toproject through the slot 14 of the leaf l2 when the latter is swung soas to overlie thedoor II. The base plate l6 of the staple element I5 isformed with an elongate vertical slot I8 which extends substantiallythroughout the length or height of the plate, and a fastening bolt I9 isarranged to project through said slot. The bolt l9 has an enlarged head20 which is of a diameter larger than the transverse width of the slotl8 so that said head can not pass through the slot, and adjacent thehead the bolt is provided with a square portion 2| on its shank, theremainder of the shank, being externally screwthreaded. The bolt passesthrough the slot 18 of the base plate i6 and then extends through anopening or bolt hole 22 provided in the door H, whereby the outer end ofsaid bolt projects outwardly on the inner side of the door. A suitablewing nut 23 is threaded onto the projecting end of the bolt andobviously, when the nut 23 is tightened, the head of the bolt 20 isdrawn into tight engagement with the base plate l6 whereby the stapleelement I5 is secured in position on the door ll. Of course, if desired,lock nuts could be substituted for the wing nut but it has been foundthat the latter permits manual manipulation thereof.

When the staple element is secured to the door H, the staple or loop 11thereof is alined laterally, or in a horizontal plane, with the slot Min the leaf or strap l2, whereby when said leaf is swung so as tooverlie the door II, the loop projects through the slot in the usualmanner. It may occur that the doors l0 and II may warp or swell, withthe result that misalinement of said doors takes place. Suchmisalinement of the doors will, of course, result in a misalinement ofthe staple or loop I! with the slot M in the leaf member 12 and in orderto realine these parts so that the latching of the doors through thehasp may be accomplished, it is only necessary to loosen the wing nut 23on the outer end of the bolt l9. When this is done, it is possible toslide the staple element 15 vertically, such movement being permitted bythe slot and bolt. Thus, the vertical. position of the staple or loop11, with relation to the slot M of the leaf or strap l2 may be readilyaccomplished. It is pointed out that during the vertical movement of thestaple element, the square portion 2! on the shank of the bolt l9, whichis engaged within the slot 18, prevents rotation of the staple element,whereby the same is maintained in the same vertical plane in alladjusted positions. After the adjustment of the staple is accomplished,the wing nut 23 may be again tightened to frictionally clamp or locksaid staple in its adjusted position.

From the above, it will be seen that a very simple and inexpensivestaple element is provid d.

The single bolt l9 serves not only to hold or fasten the staple to thedoor, but also permits a vertical adjustment of said staple to be easilyaccomplished. Also, the bolt provides a frictional lock for locking thestaple in adjusted positions. Since the nut 23 on the bolt I9 is on theinterior of the door II, it is manifest that unauthorized persons cannot gain access to said nut to remove the staple from the door. Althoughit is desirable to tighten the wing nut 23 so as to frictionally lockthe staple against movement from its adjusted positions, it would bepossible to leave a slight clearance between the underside of the bolthead 20 and the base plate 16, in which event the staple would at alltimes be capable of a vertical movement. Of course, outward displacementof the staple from the door would be prevented by the bolt head but atthe same time, the staple could be readily moved to the proper positioneach time that the hasp leaf is to be engaged thereover.

It may not, under all conditions, be desirable to drill the bolt hole 22through the garage door H, in which case it would be best to secure theadjustable staple element to the door by means of screws. In Figures 7to 11, a slightly modified form of the invention is shown, wherein theuse of the bolt I9 is not necessary. In thisform of the invention, amounting or supporting plate 25 is arranged to be secured to the door IIby means of screws 26. The staple element [5' which is similarinconstruction to the element i5, is adapted to be secured to the plate 25by means of a rivet 21. As is clearly shown in Figure 8, the head of therivet overlies the outer face of the plate l6 of the element l5, theshank of the rivet extending through the slot [8' in said base plate. Itis noted that the portion of the shank of the rivet which is within theslot I8 is square so as to prevent rotation of the plate IS on saidrivet. The rivet is, of course, suitably secured in the mounting orsupporting plate 25 and it is pointed out that a slight clearance isprovided between the underside of the rivet head and the face of theplate 16, whereby the element [5' is slidable with relation to themounting plate 25. The adjustment of the element l5 isobtained inexactlythe same manner as in the first form, the staple element being movedvertically on the plate 25. If it is desired to lock the element l 5' invarious adjusted positions, a set screw 28 may be threaded through thebase plate l5 of the element l5, the inner end of said screw beingarranged to frictionally engage the base of the mounting plate 25.Manifestly, when the set screw 28 is tightened, the element I5 isfrictionally locked against movement on said plate.

In this form of the invention, the staple element may be applied to thedoor H by means of the screws 26 and it is not necessary to drill thehole 22 for the bolt IS. The fastening screws 26 are so located in themounting plate that the base plate I6 covers said screws when the plateis in its intermediate position between the ends of the mounting plate(Figure '7). When the staple element I5 is in its lowermost position(Figure 9), only two' of the fastening screws 26 are exposed, the othertwo being covered by said element. Similarly, when the element [5' is inits uppermost position (Figure 8), the two lower screws of the mountingplate are exposed, while the other two are covered by'the element. Withthis arrangement, it is impossible for an unauthorized person to gainaccess to all of the screws when the hasp is in its latched position,whereby unauthorized removal of the staple element is prevented.

In Figures 12 to 15, still another modified form of the invention isshown. In this form a mounting or supporting plate 30 is arranged to bese-- cured to thedoor H by means of suitable screws 3|. The longitudinaledges of the plate 30 are bent upon themselves so as to formlongitudinal grooves 32 at each side of the plate 30. The upper andlower ends of the grooves 32 are closed by crimping the inturned edgesinwardly into contact with the face of the plate as shown at 33. Astaple element l5a, having a substantially square base plate Ilia isarranged to be mounted on the supporting plate 30. The ends of the baseplate |6a of the staple element are confined and slidable within thevertical grooves 32 formed at each side of the plate 30 and manifestly,the element l5a is slidable vertically on said plate. If desired, asuitable set screw 28a, similar to the set screw 28 in the formhereinbefore described, may be provided. This set screw is threadedthrough the base plate Ilia and is adapted to be engaged with themounting plate 30 so as to hold the staple element 15a in variousadjusted positions. In this form of the invention, it is not necessaryto form the vertical slot in the base plate of the staple element.Obviously, the same results may be obtained with this form of theinvention.

Although it is desirable that the staple element of the fastener beadjustable, with the hasp element thereof being fixed, it is evidentthat the hasp element could be adjustable, while the staple could besecurely mounted in a fixed position. In such case, the base member l2aof the hasp maybe provided with a vertical slot 34, and a bolt 35,similar to the bolt I9, may project through this slot and also through abolt hole or opening in the door to fasten the member [2a to the door(Figure 16). When the hasp element is so mounted, substantially the sameresults as to alinement of the two elements of the fastener may beobtained and therefore, it is within the spirit of the invention to makeeither element, or both, adjustable. Although the hasp element has beenillustrated as secured to the door by means of the bolt 35, it ismanifest that said element could be secured by means of a fasteningplate 25, as shown in the form illustrated in Figures '7 to 11. In allforms of the invention, one of the elements of the fastener isadjustable vertically with relation to the other element, whereby apositive alinement of the two elements may be had under all conditions.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fastener for a door including, a hinged hasp element having a slottherein mounted on the door at the edge portion thereof, a stapleelement having a loop thereon mounted on a support adjacent the edge ofthe door when the door is in its closed position, the loop of saidstaple element being arranged to project through the slot in the haspelement when the latter is swung thereover, one of said elements havinga vertical slot therein, a headed bolt extending through said slot andalso through the support on which the element is mounted, the bolt andslot permitting vertical adjustment of the element, and a nut on theouter end of the bolt for tightening the bolt head against the elementto frictionally lock the same in position on its support.

2. A staple element for a; hasp and staple fas-' tener including, a baseplate having an elongate vertical slot therein, a loop on the outer faceof the element, a headed bolt adapted to extend through the slot andalso extending through a support to mount the element on said support,and a nut on the projecting end of the bolt, the slot in said platepermitting vertical movement of the element relative to its support.

3. A fastening element for a hasp and staple fastener including, a baseplate having an elongate vertical slot therein, a headed bolt adapted toextend through the slot and arranged to be secured to a support to mountthe element on said support, the slot in said plate permitting verticalmovement of the element relative to the bolt and to its support, andmeans on the bolt co-acting with the slot for preventing rotation of thebase plate on the bolt, said bolt and slot being so positioned that thehasp of the fastener will overlie the bolt and prevent unauthorizedremoval of said fastener.

4. A staple element for a door fastener including, a mounting plate,means for fastening the plate to a support, a base plate overlying thesupport and having an elongate slot extending therethrough, a rivetpassing through the slot and secured to the mounting plate, whereby thebase plate is supported for relative longitudinal movement on themounting plate, a loop on the outer face of the base plate and spanningthe slot, and a set screw threaded through the base plate and adapted tofrictionally engage the mounting plate to lock the base plate in variousadjusted positions on the mounting plate.

5. A staple element for a door fastener including, a mounting plate,means for fastening the plate to a support, a base plate overlying thesupport and having an elongate slot extending therethrough, a rivetpassing through the slot and secured to the mounting plate, whereby thebase plate is supported for relative longitudinal movement on themounting plate, means on the rivet coacting with the slot to preventrotation of the base plate on the mounting plate, a loop on the outerface of the base plate and spanning the slot, and a set screw threadedthrough the base plate and adapted to frictionally engage the mountingplate to lock the base plate in various adjusted positions on themounting plate.

6. A fastener for a door including, a hinged hasp element having alateral slot therein mounted on the door at the edge portion thereof, astaple element having a loop thereon mounted on a support adjacent theedge of the door when the door is in its closed position, the loop ofsaid staple element being arranged to project through the slot in thehasp element when the latter is swung thereover, one of said elementshaving a vertical slot therein, means passing through said slot andsecured to the support on which the element is mounted for fasteningsaid element to said support, the vertical slot permitting the elementto undergo vertical movement with relation to its support and also withrelation to the other element so as to compensate for misalinement ofthe staple loop and hasp slot, and adjustable means for frictionallylooking the movable element in its various adjusted vertical positionsthe adjustability of the frictional locking means facilitating thevertical movement of said element, the elements being so arrangedrelative to each other that the hasp element will overlie substantiallythe entire portions of the slot and fastening means when the the slot,and a single fastening element extend- 10 ing through said slot andsecured in a support to mountthe plate on the support for verticalmovement, the spanning of the central portion of the slot by the loopassuring the substantially complete covering of the fastening element byany hasp element engaging said loop in substantially all positions ofsaid base plate so as to prevent unauthorized removal of the fastener.

RALPH R. HOFFMAN.

